Beautiful
by ThePhantomsChristineDaae
Summary: The boys go to thwart a museum robbery and meet a mysterious ninja dressed in white known simply as Phoenix. Is she friend, or foe? Who does she work for? Rated for possible future language and adult themes.
1. Betrayed

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the TMNT. Raph occasionally spends nights in my bed, but that's it. **_ **I do own my O/C's and I own the story. Well, it owns me. I'm only here to help it come alive. Enjoy! And please, tell me anything that comes to mind, good or bad! Oh, if you come across any * in the chapter, look to the bottom and you'll find an author's note.**

"It's too quiet." Leonardo whispered, peering through the darkness at the museum.

"I don't see any guards." Donatello said, lowering his night vision goggles.

"Well, maybe they got tired and decided to take a nap." Michelangelo joked, swinging a nun-chuck to amuse himself.

"Why don't we stop yappin' and go in there ta see what's goin' on." Raphael jumped from the tree without waiting for a response from is brothers. Using the shadows, he silently and expertly made his way to the wall of the large museum. He pulled a pair of handclaws from his belt and was slipping them over his hands when he was joined by his brothers.

Leonardo sighed, and Raph grinned as he started up the wall. As silent as they were, the night was quieter and the spikes in their handclaws made light scraping sounds. Raph knew Leo would be cringing at the noise. The mid October air was cool and crisp, invigorating Raphael and turning this chore into a game. April had received an anonymous tip revealing a plot to steal an old and rare samurai sword. Naturally, the turtles took it upon themselves to thwart such a plot.

They were nearing the third floor of the building where the sword was supposed to be housed when they heard the commotion. All four paused, looked to one another, and as one they sped to the window. Donnie was there first, and just as he reached the window sill, a body flew through it, sending shards of glass flying and causing Donatello to lose his grip. Raph grabbed his staff wielding brother as he fell backward, and all eyes turned to the moaning, twisting body on the ground.

"That ninja garb look familiar to anyone else?" Raphael asked as he helped Donnie regain his grip on the wall.

"Is that a Foot ninja?" Michelangelo asked, raising a brow in confusion.

"If it is, then there's bound to be more." Leonard said.

"Who's fighting them?" Don asked.

"No idea. But I'm gonna find out." Raphael smirked, climbing past Donatello to the edge of the window. Grabbing the edge, kicking off the wall, he pulled off a back flip that got him through the window, clear of the jagged shards of glass. What he saw surprised him.

The room was large, with paintings and display cases lining the walls. Paintings depicting famous battles in ancient Japan, display cases of samurai armor. Raph wasn't looking at any of it. In the middle of the room a small figure fought against what seemed to be a swarm of Foot ninjas. Raph was joined by his brothers, and by their pause at his side he knew they were as awed as he was by the lone figure's display. Dressed in white, a tenugui* wrapped around the bottom half of her face, she fought valiantly against the Foot with a pair of white fighting fans emblazoned with a brilliant red and orange phoenix.

"Who's she?" Mikey asked, jaw half open.

"No idea." Raph said. "But she's hoggin' all the fun." Still grinning, Raphael withdrew his sais and dove into the chaos.

The first two were caught by surprise and Raph took them out easily. The third came at him with a pair of nun-chucks and he just smiled. The Foot ninja swung with one nun-chuck, and Raph caught it easily in the forks of one sai, stabbing forward with his other sai. It was caught easily and swept aside by the Foot's free nun-chuck. Raph's grin widened as he kicked up, catching the Foot hard in the jaw. "Right into my trap, numbskull."

The fight was over quickly, the turtles working in practiced unison until the Foot ninjas were either writhing on the floor or fleeing. Raph gave his sais a few spins before blowing on the tips and sheathing them in his belt. "Well that was fun."

Almost as one the four turtles turned their attention to the white clad figure standing calmly by a lone display case and among the largest concentration of downed ninjas. Michelangelo was the first to break the silence.

"That was awesome!" He said, rushing toward her. "Where did you learn those moves?"

There was a smile in her eyes as she flicked her fans closed, tucking them in her belt behind her back. "Now what sort of Ninja would I be if I told you that?"

"Right on." Mikey said.

"Your movement was fluid and graceful." Leonardo said, stepping forward and bowing.

"Thank you." She said, bowing in return. "You control your katanas like a master."

"Yeah yeah nuff with the chatter." Raphael stepped forward, putting himself square in front of the white ninja, arms crossed and eyes narrowed as he studied her. She was shorter than them, but only by an inch or two and her body was lean and trim if a bit curvy. Hazel eyes glittered with amusement from under sandy blonde bangs, her hair tied back in a single ponytail and hanging nearly to her waist. "Who exactly are ya?"

She laughed, the sound low and breathy. "Straight to the point huh? I like that." She pulled her fans from behind her back, flourishing them in an elegant display. "You may call me Phoenix for now. And what may I call you?"

"I'm Michelangelo!" The orange banded turtle offered up happily, unaware of his red banded brother's annoyed glare.

"My name is Leonardo." The katana wielder said, bowing his head slightly. "This is Donatello and you've already met Raphael." The last was said dryly, almost mockingly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." She turned her eyes to Donatello and placed a hand on her hip, bending her knee just slightly. "Your bo work was amazing. It takes great skill to use such a seemingly useless piece of wood in such an effective way."

Donatello sputtered, not meeting her eyes and Raphael could swear his brother was blushing. "Er... Thanks." He finally managed to get out.

"Don't mention it. I'm just glad you guys showed up when you did. I don't know how much longer I could have held those ninjas from the sword." Phoenix walked the few steps to the display case, touching the glass almost reverently. "It would be a shame for this to be taken from the public."

"Yeah. Good thing you where here." Raphael said sarcastically. He didn't quite believe the show she was putting on. It was just too convenient that she was there when an anonymous tip from April had alerted the turtles. "Just how did you come ta be here at the right place at the right time?"

"There was word on the streets saying someone planned to steal this sword. I've been keeping an eye on the museum since. It was no coincidence that I was here."

"Lay off, Raph." Donnie said, stepping forward.

"Yeah, she was a huge help." Mikey chimed in.

Raphael scoffed, still skeptical but he couldn't argue with all three of his brothers.

"Do they normally come all at once?" She asked.

"From experience, yes." Leo responded. "Why? Do you think there may be more."

She shrugged. "From my experience, the enemy rarely ever shows their secret weapon from the start."

"Maybe we should search the museum." Donnie suggested

"That's a fantastic idea." The white ninja turned her hazel eyes on Donnie and Raph groaned as he watched his brother practically melt. "We could split up and search quicker."

"What if one of them comes back?" Mikey asked.

"You're right." Phoenix crossed her arms, furrowing her brow as she studied Michelangelo. "What if some one stayed here? Tied up these no goods and kept an eye on the sword?"

All eyes turned to Leo. All except for Raph's. His remained on the mysterious white clad ninja. Raphael thought it was all too convenient that she all of a sudden showed up. New York was their town, their kingdom. If there had been a ninja out there, running around all in white and flinging around a pair of white fans, the turtles would have heard about it. Especially if said ninja went by such a flashy name as "Phoenix." Raphael didn't much like it.

"Phoenix, would you keep an eye on the sword while my brothers and I sweep the museum?" Leo asked, sheathing his katanas.

"I would be honored to help you in such a way." She said, inclining her head slightly. "I don't know this museum very well, so I would end up slowing you boys down."

"I think I'll stay with ya." Raph said. "Wouldn't want ya ta get outnumbered."

"Raphael." She crooned, mischief in her eyes. "I'm touched that you care."

"Alright then. Search what you can but be careful." Leonardo eyed Mikey knowingly and the youngest turtle just grinned and shrugged.

Raphael watched as his brothers disappeared quickly. When he turned back to Phoenix, she was watching him, that touch of mischief still in her eyes. "What?"

She shook her head, still watching him. "Just thinking about you. You... Intrigue me, Raphael." She purred his name, and Raphael wished she'd remove the tenugui from around her face so he could see her mouth. "Where did you come from? How come I've never heard of you?"

"Ninja, remember?" He said, mockingly. Admittedly she was starting to make him uncomfortable with the way she was eyeing him. The way she bent her knee just so and her hand on her waist.

She laughed, that low breathy laugh, and walked to him, stopping with barely a foot between them. He felt his heart start to race despite his best efforts and it was several moments before he realized he was holding his breath.

"I think we should keep an eye on the surroundin's." He put his hands on her shoulders to move her away but that was a mistake. She responded by placing her hands on his arms, sending a tingling spark through to his very core. She pulled herself closer and his breath caught once more.

"I had a hard time focusing on my opponents once you came into the room." She whispered, snaking a hand slowly up his arm to his shoulder. "I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. Your speed, your strength."

Raphael had to swallow past a sudden lump in his throat. Her hands were warm and she smelled somehow... Hot. Like cinnamon. Her eyes held onto his with the depth of her intensity and her body pressed closer to his. He was unaware when his own hand dropped to her waist as her hand slipped from his shoulder to the back of his neck. Then he felt a prick, a quick, sharp pain where her hand rested on the back of his neck. The mischief in her eyes deepened as Raphael struggled to understand, struggled to pull himself from the spell that was Phoenix.

He disentangled himself from her, stepping back and shaking his head. "Man. Kinda dizzy."

"I've been told I have that effect."

Raphael brought a hand to where he had felt the prick, and found a small bead of blood. He couldn't think, couldn't hold a thought. His vision seemed to be blurring and he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. "Whaddya do ta me..?" He slurred, rubbing his eyes. As he sank to his knees, he watched her walk to the samurai sword and break through the case. The alarm sounded as he fell to his side and the last thing he saw before loosing consciousness was Phoenix, sword in hand looking at him with what he thought might be guilt. Guilt or not, Raphael promised to pay her back, however long it too.

She knocked quietly before opening the heavily carved and gilded door. The room inside was heavily decorated and Phoenix felt as if she were back in the museum. In the far corner was a large canopied bed, curtained with red and gold. The curtains were closed, cloaking the bed's inhabitant in shadow. She knelt at the foot of the bed, bowing her head. How long she stayed in that position she did not know, but it was a long while before a raspy voice from the shadow told her to stolen sword in her hand, she moved to the side of the bed and drew the curtain aside just enough to pass the sword through.

"Did you have any trouble?" The voice rasped.

"No, Master. They were as you said they would be." She replied, her voice just above a whisper.

"Good. He was the one who stayed?"

"Yes, Master. The one wearing red."

There was a pause and Phoenix could almost see the figure in the shadows nod. "Tell Brody to give you the procedure. An arm this time." There was another pause in which Phoenix expected to be dismissed, but what her master said instead filled her with joy and proved to her just how well she had done her job. "The whole arm, from hand to shoulder."

"Yes, Master. Thank you." She hardly waited for her dismissal before leaving the room, closing the ornate door gently behind her. Her heart was light, flying, and she was not going to let her conscience ruin it. She hadn't hurt the turtle, and knew that his brothers would be able to retrieve him before the authorities showed up. All in all, no harm had been done. Who cared about a crusted old sword anyway. She would push that nagging feeling that she had done something wrong and relish in the joy of her coming reward.

**Tenugui: **a piece of cloth also used in martial arts with many functions. It could be used to cover the face, form a belt, or assist in climbing.


	2. Mission Accepted

**Author Note: Forgot to mention that this story is based off of the TMNT movie-verse about 6 months or so after the events of the 4th movie. The CGI one. That being said, enjoy chapter 2!**

* * *

Raphael woke slowly. His head throbbed and his thoughts flowed in slow motion. There was cotton in his mouth and a ringing in his ears. It took him what could have been hours or minutes to remember what had happened the night before.

"Sonofabitch..." He muttered, rubbing his eyes and slowly sitting up. He felt sluggish, like moving through jello. What had she hit him with? Raphael opened his eyes, straining in the dim light to see his surroundings. He was in his room, back at the lair. So his brothers had gotten him out. Damn. Now he owed them. Raphael hated being in debt to anyone, even his own family.

He threw the blanket off of himself and swung his legs over the side of his small bed. He stood slowly, taking a few moments to get the feel of his own legs underneath him. Confident he wouldn't fall flat on his face, Raphael walked to the door of his barely big enough room, which was nothing more than a blanket covering an arch made of red bricks.

"Hey! Hey Raph!" Mikey's voice grated on Raphael's nerves as the youngest turtle vaulted up the metal ladder to the second floor of their circular lair and to Raphael's side. "You're awake, dude. Thought you'd sleep for days."

"Yeah well... I feel like I could." Raphael said, rubbing the back of his neck. He could feel a small, slightly raised spot. Just a little bump, like a bug bite. _Must be where she stuck me. _He thought. "I need a drink." He motioned for his brother to follow him as he climbed down the ladder, taking his time. "What happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Leonardo asked, coming from a side room on the bottom floor.

"It was so weird. One minute we were all doin' our thing and sweeping the museum when bam! The alarm goes off." Mikey explained, hovering around Raph as the red banded turtle grabbed a soda from the fridge. "We ran back to you as fast as we could and you were passed out on the ground and Phoenix was gone."

Raphael grunted, frowning. "She stuck me with something and took the sword." He caught from the corner of his eye the hurt look that crossed Michelangelo's face. Raph knew Mikey liked to see the good in people and already he knew his little brother was denying to himself that the white clad ninja would ever do such a thing.

"Don took a sample of your blood after we got you home. He's analyzing it now." Leonardo said.

"Correction, I've analyzed it." Donatello said, stepping from yet another side room.

"What'd you find?" Raphael asked.

"It's unlike anything I've ever seen. It seems to be a combination of different spider venoms and plant extracts. None of which injected separately would have had any but the most minimal affect on the body." He shrugged and shook his head. "I researched every known sedative, pharmaceutical and otherwise, and nothing comes up with this particular mixture."

"Could she have made it herself?"

"That's entirely possible Leo. There was a clan of Ninjas back in the Warring States period of Japan that were well known for their peculiar and unique mixtures of poisons."

"Ah who cares what she used." Raph crushed his empty soda can with his hands, tossing it in the garbage. "I wanna know who she is, where she is, and who she's workin' for."

"What makes you think she's working for anyone?" Mikey asked.

"Just think about it for a sec. She held off dozens of the Foot by herself and hardly looked winded. She was trained by a master. Plus, she wasn't surprised to see us. How many people have we run into that handle seeing four walking, talking, ninja turtles with out freakin' out at least a little?" Raphael crossed his arms, daring with his eyes and smug posture for any of his brothers to provide evidence against his theory.

Leonardo and Donatello shared a glance, a look that Raph had seen many times that usually meant they thought he was being unreasonable. Michelangelo kept looking from one of his three brothers to the next, the war going on inside his head clearly visible. Raphael felt a small flicker of guilt and regret over spoiling the young turtles innocent image of the ninja girl in white. He would have to learn someday though. Mikey couldn't keep pretending that every one was good. He might as well learn from one of his brothers, and Raph figured he was the best choice. He wouldn't sugar coat it just because Mikey was the youngest.

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions." Leo said diplomatically, placing a hand on Mikey's shoulder. "She could have a good reason for taking the sword. Maybe it belonged to her family at one point in time."

"Yeah!" Michelangelo chimed in. "Maybe she wanted it back but the museum wouldn't give it to her."

"You really think so?" Raph shook his head when Mikey nodded in response. "You guys believe what you want. But don't go cryin' ta me when the truth bites ya on the ass." He turned then to leave, heading towards the lairs entrance.

"Raph, where do you think you're going?"

"Gonna go look for are little ninja girl, Leo. Why? Wanna come?"

"It's the middle of the day. There's too many people out right now." Leo grunted annoyance as Raphael rolled his eyes at the oldest turtles caution. "Wait until nightfall. Then we'll all go out and look."

Raphael stood for a moment and looked at his brothers. Donatello, always thinking logically but curious as a cat. Michelangelo, fun loving and innocent with an imagination big enough for the four of them. Leonardo, their fearless leader. Leonardo, who's simple observations sometimes held so much truth Raphael felt smothered by them. He sighed, his arms falling to his side. "Alright. You win. But one of you has'ta make me a pizza while we wait."

"I'll do it!" Mikey shouted, racing to the freezer and grabbing two frozen pizzas.

"We'll find her." Leo said, watching Mikey preheating the oven.

"I hope so." Raphael said, half growl half whisper. "I have a score ta settle with her."

* * *

She stood before the full length mirror in her room, her window open to let the light stream in and give her a better look. The procedure was painful, and the skin of her arm was still pink and felt a bit raw it was smooth. She smiled, admiring how the alteration she had made to her ninja garb looked. The left sleeve gone to the shoulder to reveal the new flawless skin of her arm proudly. Phoenix turned this way and that, appreciating the Doctor's work from different angles. She had to keep her eyes from wandering upwards though, to the face that wasn't at the moment hidden by her tenugui. She didn't always win the battle and more than once she almost screamed at the monster that looked back at her.

A soft rustle was the only warning she had that someone was outside her door and a split moment was all the time she had to lift the tenugui that hung around her neck. She turned to see who would come into her room with out knocking and her heart sank as she saw the other woman. She was Japanese and radiated an exotic beauty that Phoenix hated her for. Everything that she was, Phoenix wanted to be. But she never would be. Her childhood had made sure of that. They stood there, looking at each other like cats ready to fight for a fish.

"He does it out of pity."

Phoenix finched, but nodded. "I know."

"Do you think he will actually allow the procedure to come to a completion?" Phoenix didn't answer, unsure what the other woman was up to. "He uses it as a reward when you succeed at a task. If there is no reward to give, how can he be sure you will work as hard as he wishes?"

"For the same reason he knows you'll carry out your jobs. He took me in when no one else wanted me. Fed me, clothed me, and taught me how to take care of myself." She looked at her arm, marveling again at how smooth it was. "I owe him for more than just this." The other woman stared at her in silence, the contempt in her almond shaped eyes barely contained. "Why did you come?" Phoenix asked with a weary sigh.

"He has a job for you. You are to commit a series of minor crimes. He said it was time you served your purpose and that you would know what that meant." She sneered at Phoenix, obviously upset that their Master was keeping something from her.

Phoenix's heart started to race. This was it. It was finally time to show her Master what she was worth. She couldn't let him down. She wouldn't let him down. She smiled under her tenugui, a mixture of anticipation and nerves. She no longer cared that her rival stood uninvited in her room, arms crossed and scowling. It was finally her time. She was important now.

"I'll start tonight." She claimed, perhaps too enthusiastically. She reprimanded herself as she saw the other woman's eyebrow raise in question. _Stupid girl. _She thought. _Keep your emotions in check. _"I'll need to prepare, to meditate. Would you leave me, please?"

Her rival hesitated for a moment, and Phoenix could guess that she wanted to ask what was so important about this mission. But they both knew that if their Master wanted them to know something, he would tell them. It was not their place to question. With a nod, she left, closing the door.

It was several moments before Phoenix could stop smiling enough to consider meditation. Sitting cross legged on her floor, she closed her eyes and began with some deep breathing exercises. It was then that the guilt hit. What she would do, her ultimate goal, was anything but good. It would hurt several people and break a family apart. But it was what her Master wanted. She focused on her breathing, stamping out the useless feeling. Soon, it would all be over. Soon...


	3. Mind Games

**AUTHOR NOTE: I wrote the first 7 or so paragraphs of this when I was soooo sleepy I barely remember writing it. I think it turned out almost better than most of the stuff I write when coherent. So maybe I should write sleep deprived more often, eh? Anyway, enjoy chapter 3!**

* * *

The moon hung high in the sky, full and glowing like a single pearl placed on raven black silk. Phoenix crouched on the edge of an apartment complex, balanced on the balls of her feet, staring up at it's pure beauty. She hated the moon when it was full. Shadows were fewer, less complete. It was harder to hide with a full moon. Harder to disappear but she hadn't let it affect her mission. Already she had robbed a liquor store and a hardware store. They weren't blind robberies though, Phoenix did her homework. The liquor store was just a front, a partner in a money laundering scheme that so far had gone undetected by the police. The hardware store was the base of operations for a small group of muggers that had been plaguing parts of Brooklyn for going on six months with the police picking up no leads, seeing no connections. Phoenix left little clues at each site that would lead the police to arrest those involved and give them a case that would be hard put to ignore in court. At each location she also left a piece of white cloth with a red and orange embroidered phoenix.

It would be a surprise indeed if word of that cloth didn't spread like wild fire. It seemed the harder the cops tried to hide a fact, the more people wanted to talk about it. The turtles would hear from their reporter friend, April O'Neil, about her little calling card and before long, they'll be stalking the streets, combing every seedy avenue and dark alleyway looking for the Phoenix. If they weren't already. She smiled a little then, imagining them turning over garbage cans and looking under cars while she watched from a safe roof top. Of course, she knew it wouldn't be like that. The turtles were smart, if naive. She would have to be careful, every step would have to be calculated and recalculated. Luckily, her Master was very wise. She'd trust his judgement and follow his instructions.

Her stomach turned, lurching at the thought of her Master. It unnerved her. The feeling had started the night she lured the red banded one, Raphael, into the trap that won her the sword. She wasn't sure what it meant, whether it was just nerves from finally fulfilling the purpose her Master chose her for, or if it was something else. She knew what guilt felt like from the few memories she still held of her childhood before her Master. This fluttering in her stomach was strangely close to that remembered feeling.

Frustrated with herself, she stood, a light breeze playing with her hair. It was only just past midnight and she wanted to cause as much stir in the city as she could before the sun rose to put a stop to her plans. Her Master hadn't set a timeframe for her to draw out the turtles for the second time, but she wanted desperately to please the man that cared for her when no one else did. Distracted by her inner thoughts, she almost didn't hear the soft sounds of someone approaching her from behind. She made no outward sign that she knew, but suddenly her senses were focused. It was a man, she knew that instinctively. Taller than her, but not by much. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized who it was. Not Raphael, he wouldn't waste time sneaking up on her. The steps were tentative, unsure. It was the youngest one, the orange banded one.

"Michelangelo." She said sadly, her eyes a mask of sorrow as she turned to face him. She was right. He stood there, dumbfounded barely five feet from her. He held nun-chaku in his left hand, but his right hand was empty. She was almost sure he wouldn't have attacked her. "I had hoped to see you again. But I didn't think I'd be allowed to."

"Uh Phoenix. I uh... Hi." He stammered in an almost endearing, child like way. "I didn't think I'd run into you here."

She chuckled, the deep, breathy laugh she had used at the museum. "I guess no one really expects to run into another person on a roof top this late at night." She smiled beneath the tenugui, surprised with herself at how genuine it felt. "It's good to see you. I just wish..." Her words trailed off, leaving her wish unspoken as she turned her head from him and closed her eyes.

"What?" He asked, taking a step towards her. "Hey what's wrong?" The concern in his voice sounded real enough to her, and that odd fluttering started to creep into her stomach again.

"It's nothing." She shook her head slowly, eyes still closed. She sensed someone else coming from the side, shielded by the small structure of brick with the door leading into the building and off the roof. His footsteps were heavier than Michelangelo's and though Phoenix wasn't positive, she guessed who it was. "I should go."

"Wait! Can't you stay?"

"No. I shouldn't. He'll be angry if he knew I was talking to you." She shifted her weight, placing her foot very close to the edge of the building.

"Who'll be angry?" Mikey asked innocently.

"I can't." She shook her head sighing heavily. "I just can't... But... Michelangelo?"

"Yeah?" He was leaning forward now, hooked on her words.

"Tell Raphael I'm sorry, please. I... I was only doing like I was told."

"Tell him yourself." The one who had been hiding said, stepping into the light of the full moon.

"Raphael." Phoenix gasped in feigned surprise. She had hoped it was him, but it very well could have been their cautious leader. "I... I didn't know you were there."

"You're lying."

"No!" Phoenix shouted, surprised with herself for the outburst. She needed to calm herself, to ignore the fluttering in her stomach and concentrate on making them believe her. She had been taught to lie at an early age by her Master and had been severely punished when caught using her skill with out permission. She took a deep breath, letting her shoulders slump and her head hang slightly. "Alright. I knew you were there. I just... Wanted you to know that what I did last night... I didn't want to hurt you."

"Heh." He scoffed, crossing his arms. "Coulda fooled me."

"C'mon Raph. She had a good reason for doin' what she did." The orange one turned his large eyes on her and she saw the absolute need in them for her to be on their side. Mikey wanted her to be good, and that confused her. She wasn't bad, was she? "There's a reason, right?"

Phoenix shook her head and shruged. "It's not my place to ask his reasons. Only to do what I'm told."

"I ain't buyin' it." He drew both sais and stepped closer, closing the distance between them. "You and me Phoenix. We're going to finish this."

He was challenging her, that much was plain. But whether to a fair fight, or whether he intended for his brother to join, Phoenix couldn't be sure. Her sense of honor told her that Raphael intended this to be one on one. It also told her that she should stand her ground and accept his challenge. She knew she couldn't, knew that she should follow her Master's wishes. She was not supposed to engage them in battle, not yet. Even with all of her training and years of instruction, she was no match for the turtles. She might be able to hold her own long enough to find a path to safety, but in honorable combat she would lose. She couldn't risk that right now.

"Someday, I hope you'll understand." She smiled sadly, a small upturning of the corners of her mouth. Closing her eyes, she let herself fall backwards off of the roof.

"Wait!"

She heard Raphael yell, and Michelangelo gasp. A second was all she had to imagine the shocked and horrified looks on their faces before she felt the fire escape rushing past her. Turning a backflip in mid air, she opened her eyes and reached out in front of her. Her hands connected with the metal railing and she held on just long enough to slow her fall but not stop it. The force of the impact still jarred her shoulders and upper arms and made her cringe with the pain that would only be worse in the morning. Her feet touched the railing on the level below her and using the momentum from her fall she kicked out, turning another back flip to land on the fire escape on the building across the narrow alley on the next floor down. From there it was an easy jump to the dumpster below and a small leap to the ground.

"Phoenix!" Raphael yelled, anger and frustration in his voice. It made her cringe and she took a second she should not have taken to look back up at him.

He stood with one foot on the edge, looking as if he was unsure whether to follow or not. Before he could make that decision, she took off. She ran until every breath had to be forced through searing lungs and only then did she stop, pressed into the shadow created by two adjacent builds. What just happened was good, she knew that. More doubt had been drilled into the youngest turtles mind and that doubt would just dig further and further. His brothers would have a very hard time convincing him that she was a bad guy. Her Master would be proud.

Then why did she feel so bad about it?

* * *

Raphael watched her go, his fists clenched tight around the grips of his sais. He had wanted to face her, to oust her as a dirty fighter and a fake. What she was doing to Mikey, praying on his innocent nature, pissed him off. Their Master preached the importance of loving each brother equally, but Raph had to be honest. Mikey was his favorite brother. Their relationship was just easier, without any of the strain that was so often present between him and his older brothers. Phoenix was threatening that ease.

"Raph, what do we do?" Michelangelo's question was simple enough, but the answer tricky. They could go after her, try to track her, but likely they wouldn't find her and end up searching all night.

"We go back ta the lair." Raphael answered after a few moments of thought. "And we don't tell anyone what happened." His brother looked confused, but happy, so Raphael decided to leave his decision unexplained. _Run all you want, Phoenix. I'm gonna cage you yet._


	4. Trained

The early rays of morning peeked through the tall windows that lined the hall, casting it's warm, orange and yellow rays along the fine red carpet. As the morning slowly progressed, the rays stretched further, touching Phoenix with their warmth were she knelt outside the huge double doors. Faithfully, she had knelt there since returning home the previous night. She had been told to wait when she wished to enter to tell her Master of her encounter with the two youngest turtles. Like a well-trained hound she had waited, fighting sleep and hunger.

The sun was fully up, higher in the sky than the skyscrapers when a servant passed her in the hall with a tray of food. She entered the double doors with no hesitation while Phoenix still waited. The sun climbed a bit higher by the time the servant came out with the empty tray. "He'll see you now." She said as she passed.

Phoenix tried to rise swiftly, but her legs were stiff from kneeling for so long and she was forced to take a second to stretch. A second was all she dared take though. While she was made to wait all through the night and most of the morning, she dared not make her Master wait more than the time it took to stand. Once in the room, she immediately took up a kneeling position again, her joints screaming as they bent once more. "Master." She said simply in greeting, waiting for him to continue the conversation.

"You returned earlier than expected. Why?"

She hesitated a moment, wanting to smooth over the fact that she had grown careless while on her mission. "I dropped my guard for a few moments and was found by two of the turtles."

"Careless. What happened?"

"It was the two youngest, the orange one and the red one." She never used their names around her Master. To him, they had no names and she learned early on that using them would only get her a swift backhand. "I played the pitiful servant and put more doubt in the orange one's mind. I think it just made the red one angrier. He... Challenged me to a fight and I ran away."

Master was silent for a while and she waited, eyes down. A terrible fear that he was angry with her, angry enough to punish her, started creeping up her spine. She shivered, recalling some of the earlier punishments as a child. The Dark Box was the worst. It wasn't physical punishment, but mental. She had stolen the figurine of a dog off of a shelf once when she was still very young, still new under her Master's care, and playing with it accidentally broke one of the ears off. That's when she was put in the box. A pitch black steel box, small enough she had to sit with her knees pulled to her chest and her head bowed forward. Two days she had been left in there, until she was covered in her own sweat and couldn't cry any more. Brought to her Master, he had explained to her in a very kind, loving voice that stealing from him was wrong, that it was only right to steal from the other greedy people in the world. Then he had fed her, and held her as she cried and apologized.

"You did well with the turtles. But since you were careless enough to be caught on their grounds and not your own, you will get no reward." Phoenix relaxed, letting her shoulders slump just a little as her Master's voice softened. "Now rest, Phoenix. Your mission continues tomorrow."

"Yes Master." She said, rising once more and bowing low before turning to leave. Once outside with the double door securely closed, she sighed. It wouldn't do to let her guard fall like that again. From now on, she'd have to be extra careful. If she failed, if she was the cause of her Master's plans falling short, she knew it could very well mean the end of her life. She had come close to death once as a child, and even now she wasn't sure she was ready for that final rest.

Back straight and head high, she returned to her room. He said she had done well with the turtles, she'd dwell on that instead of her mistake. No use filling herself with doubt. That would only lead to future mistakes, causing her to ignore the instincts her Master helped mold. No, it was just one careless mistake that would not happen again. She would rest, then return to the streets again that night. Everything was going as planned.

* * *

Raphael attacked the punching bag furiously, his eyes focused straight ahead, unaware of his surroundings. Almost a week had passed since he and Mikey had run into Phoenix on the rooftop and they had seen no sign of her since. He was frustrated, angry. He would never admit it to his brothers, but he was starting to doubt himself. Starting to doubt his abilities as a ninja, his ability to track and find his target. She always seemed to be just one step ahead of them, and sometimes he swore he caught a faint scent of cinnamon on this rooftop, or down that alley. But Phoenix was never there.

"Damn!" He yelled, kicking the punching bag with enough force that it finally tore free from the hook in the ceiling and went flying a good distance across the room. "Where da hell is she?"

"Is this a bad time?"

Raphael spun towards the lairs entrance, vaguely noticing Donatello's mouth half open and finger raised, preparing to lecture. April stood with a hand on her hip, a small folder held in the other.

"Of course not April." Leonardo said, stepping towards her. "Just Raph being... Raph. What did you bring us?"

"Something interesting the police are trying to hide from the public about the recent string of robberies in the city." She said, keeping her eyes on Raphael for a moment longer.

Raphael ignored it, taking his sais from his belt and spinning them restlessly in his hands as he paced back and forth. The robberies were her work, he knew. He felt it. Why else would she have been out that night? But who was she working for and why was she doing it? He paced near where April and his brothers had cleared a small spot from one of Donatello's desks, pretending not to listen but focusing on what April said.

"The robberies seemingly have nothing in common, except for two things. One that I don't think the cops put together but that I found interesting enough." She opened her folder and removed several pieces of paper, each with photographs of different store fronts with text underneath. "Every one of the robberies was done where there was some sort of link to criminal activity."

"A thief stealing from thieves." Donatello muttered thoughtfully. "Very Robin Hood."

"Exactly. Except no one knows where the money went. I researched local charities, homeless shelters, animal shelters, anything I could think of but found no recent donations that would make up for the amounts of money stolen."

They were all quiet for a moment, each thinking about what April had said. Raphael stopped his pacing, looking down at the list of places hit. From first glance, none of them looked even remotely connected. A toy store, hardware store, a general store, a porno shop. He shook his head, secretly admiring April's skill of seeing what most people missed. He supposed it's what made her such a good reporter.

"You said there were two things" Raphael said suddenly, breaking the silence. "What's da other?"

"Right." She turned a page in the folder. "The only real connection that the police have made, is that at each crime scene they found a piece of white cloth with a red and orange embroidered phoenix."

"I knew it!" Raph snapped, flinging a sai across the room to stick in the punching bag that was left lying on the floor where it landed. "I knew she was doin' 'em!"

"You know who's doing the robberies?" April asked, leaning towards Raph.

"Not really." Leonardo responded. "We ran into her once and only know what she's chosen to go by."

"Phoenix." Michelangelo said, almost reverently. "I knew she wasn't all bad! I mean, she's not takin' money from good guys, so that's not all bad, right?"

"What would you call stealin' dat sword, huh, Mikey?" Raph argued. He hated the pained and confused look that came across his younger brother's face, but he kept trying to feed Mikey the truth, so when he learned it for himself he wouldn't be so crushed. Raph didn't believe for a second that Phoenix was good. Maybe not evil, not like The Shredder had been, but she certainly wasn't good.

"She had a reason." Mikey muttered, pouting.

"What do you guys know about her?"

"Nothing much, April." Don answered. "She wears white, calls herself the Phoenix, and is well trained with fighting fans. She wasn't just recently made a ninja. She's been trained well by someone for a long time."

"Any idea who trained her?"

"No." Leo said, shaking his head. "I've described her fighting to Master Splinter, but he just grew quiet and said he must meditate."

"Do you think he has an idea?" April asked, tapping her chin.

"I don't know." Leo said, shaking his head with a sigh. "It's not my place to question."

"That's what she said." Mikey said with a grin.

"What?" Leo and Don said at the same time, eyes snapping to Michelangelo.

"Mikey..." Raph groaned, smacking his forehead.

"What does he mean Raphael?" Leonardo asked.

"Ah, we ran in ta Phoenix last week is what he means. But nothin' happened." He shrugged, trying to play it off like it was nothing even though it still burned him that she ran away. "She ran off."

"That would have been nice to know, Raph." Scolded Leo.

"We didn't learn anythin' from her. What good would it have done?"

"There may be something you're missing. Something about the way she acted that might give a clue as to who she is." April pipped in calmly, trying to break the tension between the two brothers.

"She's good. She knew I was hidin' nearby even though I was dead silent." Raph said. "We also know she's a coward. Took off runnin' when I challenged her."

"April," Donnie turned around in his desk chair, facing April. "Can you do some more digging? Maybe find some businesses that might be just a front for criminal activity? It's a long shot but we might be able to find her based on possible robbery locations."

"That will not be necessary."

All heads turned toward a small room at the very back of their home. It was the only room that had a real door still attached. The door was wide open and in the doorway stood an elderly looking half man, half rat. He stood resting his hands on the top of a cane.

"Master Splinter." Leonardo said.

"My sons. I have been thinking. This kunoichi you have been tracking, she could only have been taught by one man."

"Master Splinter... You don't mean?"

"Yes, Donatello. I am afraid I do. Her fighting style makes her a student of Oroku Saki."

"How can that be?" Raphael burst out, eyes wide with shock. He could see similar looks on the faces of his brothers. "He died. He was crushed by the weight of that dock."

"It is possible she was trained well before, Raphael. Her level of skill shows she has been training for many years."

"But we've never seen her before. Maybe she wouldn't do all the stuff Shredder wanted her to do." Michelangelo suggested, a hopeful look on his face. "She hasn't done anything really bad. Not really."

Raphael shook his head. He had been hoping to spare Mikey from the truth for a little while longer. It was out now though, and his little brother had to face the facts.

"Stealin' isn't right no matter how ya look at it, Mikey. To top it off, she's part of the foot clan." He shook his head. "She knows who we are. She has ta. She's been playin' us from the start."

"So," Donatello began. "What do we do?"

"We wait for her to come to us." Leonard said, facing his family and April. "No more chasing Phoenix. Now, we wait."


End file.
